Roofing element



T. ROBINSON ROOFING ELEMENT lginal F Jan. 4 1927.

INVENTOR 750mm /'nson mi@ ATTORNEYS Patented Jan. 4,Y 1927.

UNITED stares PATENT OFFICE.

THOMAS ROBINSON, OF BABYLON, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO .ANACJONDA- SALES COM- PANY, A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE.

ROOFING ELEMENT.

Original application led February 10, 1923, Serial No. 618.246'. Divided and this application led September 21, 1923.

This invention relates to roofing elements in the forms of boards, strips, shingles, tiles and the like. and more particularly relates to a novel roofing element which comprises an asphalt base and a layer of ground cork applied to the asphalt base and which may Llso be provided with a metallic coating over he entire surface of the element which is exposed to the weather.

I have found that the novel roofing elements provided by this invention comprising an asphalt base surfaced with ground cork or with a layer of ground cork partially imbedded in the base offer many advantages. Ground cork is much lighter than many grannlar materials which have been used hitherto in surfacing shingles. Due to this light weight, my improved roofing elements are less expensive to ship and are less liable to damage in handling and in transport. Shingles, according to this invention weigh approximately sixty pounds less per square than the ordinary slate surfaced asphalt shingle when laid in American fashion. Strip shingles surfaced with heavy material are frequently damaged in handling due to the tendency of unsupported heavy tabs to break olf, but the use of ground cork for surfacing largely eliminates this source of loss. Ground cork also forms an excellent bond With the asphaltic base. apparently partially absorbing a4 portion of the asphalt surface, and the good adhesion between the cork and the asphalt eliminates any tendency of the surface to separate from the base. Due to the lightv weight of the ground cork and the excellent adhesion between the cork and the base, a greater thickness can be attained in the shingle. Thicker shingles permit greatly enhanced architectural effects. The cork is also an excellent insulator with respect to both heat and sound. In conjunction with its capacity for preventing the passage of heat, the light Weight of the ground cork serves to eliminate or reduce any tendency of the roofing element to deform or of the asphalt to soften or meltl in hot weather. Ground cork presents a very serviceable surface andis both fire resistant and acid resistant.. The use of ground cork permits the ready fabrication of attractive shingles; colored shingles may be made by impregnation of the corkwith coloring material. Ease of manufacture is also facilitated by the use of seial No. 663,983.

cork as the knives of cutting and trimming machinery and the like are not easily damaged by the relatively soft cork, and the ground cork being refuse from the manufacture of cork products. the new roofing elements are comparatively inexpensive.

I have also found that the ground cork surfaced asphalt base roofing elements may with further advantage be provided with a metallic coating over the entire surface of the shin/glwhich is exposed tothe weather. By reason of the provision of such a metallic coating, the roofing element is much more rigid than the common form of asphalt shingle, it is subject to curling to a much less extent and the coatin reduces considerably the volatilization of the oil contained in the asphalt composition with consequent deteriora-- tion of that composition. An element of this type is also capable of withstanding wear to a greater extent by reason of the protection afforded by the metallic coating and presents a very attractive appearance as the copper coating upon the exposed surface can be colored in any of the well known ways. lVith electro-deposition of the metallic coating, the ground cork takes the plating with advantage as conducting films applied to the cork before deposition adhere very well. and as the cork is an insulator, there is less likelihood of chemical action within the roofing element ivhile in the plating bath. The layer of ground cork between the base and the metallic coating also serves as an excellent insulator preventing or largely reducing the passage of heat and deadening sound. Applied over the rough surface having depressions and projections thereover, the metallic coating is particularly advantageous. The metallic coating adheres more strongly to the base and assumes a shape corresponding to the roughened shape of the surface of the coated base. and, by reason of this roughened shape, expansion and contraction of the metal occurring with changes of temperature may take place without causing the metallic coating to become detached. The resilience of the cork also permits expansion and contraction of the metallic surface withoutappreciable movement of the coating of metal. The surface of the roofing element so formed is of very attractive appearance in that it presents a very desirable texture.

In applying the ground cork to the asphalt IGI base, the cork is preferably spread over and pressed into the semi-plastic surface of the asphalt base. The pressure may be conveniently applied by passing a roller over the ground cork. This results in pressing the granules into and partially imbedding them in the surface of the base. The ground cork used for surfacing may with advantage be CII - more resistant to both re and water.

cork thathas been previously heated or baked at a temperature suflicient to remove or reduce in amount the resins present in the cork. Such heating or baking renders the cork particlesstronger and firmer and Where a color effect is desirable, the ground cork may be impregnated with coloring material; for example, the cork may be saturated with copper oleate with the production of an excellent green. Cork which has been baked does not absorb coloring material very readily, and Where colored shingles are to be prepared by saturation of the cork with coloring matter, it is lgenerally preferable to use unbaked cork.

The metallic coating is preferably applied to the cork covered base by a process of electro-de osition, the granular cork being applied to the'asphalt base in substantially the same manner as where the rooting element is to be used without a metallic coating. The metal employed is preferably c opperl' although Zinc or some other metal may be employed if desired. In conjunction with the metallic coating, the improved non-hygroscopic properties of the baked cork render the use of baked ground cork particularly advantageous. The cork strongly adheres to the base and forms anexcellent bond between the base and the superposed coa-ting of metal and affords the desirable irregular surface which gives the finished element an attractive appearance and which allows for expansion and contraction of the metallic coating with changes of temperature. The metallic coating upon the layer of cork is very thin and preferably it is applied over only that portion of the element which is exposed tothe weather when the shingle is in position upon the roof. As the cork is a non-conductor, it is necessary before .the electro-deposition of the metallic coating to apply graphite or some similar substance to the surfacof the base with the ground cork imbedded therein to make it electro-conductive. To promote the adherence of such material, the surface of the roofing element is preferably coated with an asphalt-water emulsion or a solution of asphalt in Va solvent such as carbon tetrachloride before the application of the graphite or similar material. One of the advantages of the ground cork is that it adheres well to the applied conducting material pro- This application is a division of my copending application filed February 10, 1928, and bearing Serial No. 618,246.

Shingles, vconstructed in accordance With this invention are indicated in the accompanying drawings; in which Fig. 1 is a plan View and Fig. 2 is an enlarged transverse section of a shingle comprising an asphalt base, a layer of cork and a metallic coating, and Fig. 3 is a plan View and Fig. 4 is an enlarged transverse section of a shingle comprising an asphaltbase and a. layer of cork without a metallic coating.

The shingle represented in Figs. 1 and 2 consists essentially of three parts, a base, a layer ef ground cork applied to the base and a coating of metal upon this layer. The base a is preferably an asphalt composition of the character which has been widely used in the manufacture of roofing elements, consisting of paper, rags, felt or the like impregnated with asphalt. The layer is ground cork, which may be the waste material produced in the fabrication of cork products, and is preferably composed of ground cork which has been baked at about 570C F. and of approximately uniform particle size. The granules of cork are imbedded in the asphalt base preferably by spreading them evenly over the surface of the base, and then subjecting them to pressure with a roller. The metallic coating c upon the layer of cork is Very thin and preferablyv it is applied by electro-deposition after a preliminary treatment to render the surface electro-conductive. This metallic coating conforms to all the irregularities of the layer of ground cork and as a result the finished shingle presents a very attractive appearance by reason of the texture produced by the irregular surface and the metallic coating is free to expand and contract.

rlhe shingle represented in Figs. 3 and 4c is substantially the same as that represented in Figs. 1 and 2 except in that the metallic coating is omitted. As before, the base a is preferably an asphalt base of the usual type and the layer b is ground cork embedded in the asphalt base preferably by rolling after even application over the base. The ground cork may be cork which has been previously baked, at a temperature of about 5700 F. for example, or it may be unbaked cork granules impregnated or saturated with any suitable coloring material, such as copper oleate, with the production of desirable color effects.

Such shingles may be shaped and may be applied to a roof in accordance with the practice which is common in the use of asphalt shingles. The shingles Without any metallic coating are light and strong, of long life, tire and acid resistant, good insulators with respect to heat and sound, attractive and ineXpensive to produce and to handle. The shingles With a metallic coating have several further advantages. They are more rigid than the common form of asphalt shingle and are much less liable to Warp. The metal coating also lessens deterioration of the asphalt hase resulting from the Volatilization of oils contained in it. The metal coating firmly adheres to the cork layer, takes the wear, and improves the appearance of a roofmade of such shingles because of the roughened surface presented and the attractive color effects that can he obtained with the metal.

I claim:

l. A roofing element comprising the combination of a foundation layer, a layer of resilient granules of cork affixed to one surface of the foundation layer and presenting an irregular surface, and a coating of metal of substantial uniform thickness over the granular layer conforming to the irregularities thereof and adhering thereto.

2. A roofing element comprising the con bination of a foundation layer', a layer of resilient granules of cork applied to the foundation layer with the granules partially embedded therein and presenting an irregular surface, and a coating of metal of substantial uniform thickness over the granular layer conforming to the irregularities thereof and adhering thereto.

8. A roofing element comprising the combination of a base of impregnated fibigus material,l a layer of resilient granulesfcork z'ifdto the surface of the base andV presenting an irregular surface, and a coating of metal of substantially uniform thickness over the cork layer conforming to the irregularities thereof and adhering thereto.

Al. A roofing element comprising the comhination of a hase of roofing felt impregnated with asphalt, a layer of resilient granfules of cork afixed to the surface of the base and presenting an irregular surface7 and a coating of copper of substantial uniform thickness over the cork layer conforming to the irregularities thereof and adhering thereto.

In testimony whereof I aiix my signature.

THOMAS ROBINSON. 

